PLATE LV. 



ZINNIA VIOLACEA. 



Purple Zinnia. 



CLASS XIX. ORDER II. 

 SYNGENESIA POLYGAMIC SUPERFLUJ. Tips united. Superfluous Pointals. 



GENERIC CHARACTER. 



Empalement. Common cylindrically egg- 



Calyx. Communis ovato-cylindricus, lxvis, im- 

 bricatus; fquamis plurimis, obtufis, eredlis, 

 perfiltentibus. 



Corolla. Compofita radiata; corolluloe her- 

 maphrodite plures in dilco elevato. Femi- 

 neos plurimae in radio. 



Propria hermaphroditi infundibuliformis, 



quinquefida intus villofa. 



Feminea ligulata, fubrotunda, retufa, per- 



fiftens. 

 Stamina. Hermaphroditis; rilamenta quinque, 



breviffima. Anthera cylindracea, tubulofa. 

 Pistillum. Hermaphroditis; germen oblon- 



gum, triquetrum. Stylus nliformis, femi- 



bifidus. Stigmata duo, obtufa. 



Femineis; germen oblongum, triquetrum. 



Stylus capillaris, femibifidus. Stigmata duo, 



recurvata. 

 Pericakpium. Calyx immutatus. 

 Semina. Hermaphroditis folitaria, oblonga, te- 



tragono-ancipitia. Pappus muconibus duo- 

 bus. 



Femineis folitaria, mutica, coronata petalo 



perliftente. 

 Receptaculum paleaceum; paleis lingulatis, 



canaliculars, longitudine calycis, deci- 



duis. 



SPECIFIC 



Zinnia foliis oppofitis, amplexicaulibus, lato- 

 lanceolatis, fcabris; floribus pedunculatis, 

 purpuras, folitariis. 



fhaped, fmooth, and tiled; fcales many, 

 blunt, upright, and remaining. 



Blossom. Compound radiate; florets with chives 

 and pointals, ate numerous in the center, 

 which is elevated ; florets with only pointals, 

 many in the circumference. 

 Individuals with chives and pointals funnel- 

 fhaped, five-cleft, and hairy within. 

 Individuals with pointals only, ligulate, 

 roundiih, dented at the end, and remaining. 



Chives. Hermaphrodites; five fhort threads. 

 Tips forming a hollow cylinder. 



Pointal. Hermaphrodites; feed-bud oblong, 

 three-fided. Shaft thread-fhaped, fplit nearly 

 halfway down. Summits two, blunt. 

 Females; feed-bud oblong, three-fided. Shaft 

 hair-like, fplit half way down. Summit* 

 two, bent backward. 



Seed-vessel. Cup not changing. 



Seeds. Hermaphrodites; folitary, oblong, three- 

 fided, but (harp at two edges. Feather of 

 two (harp points. 



Females, folitary, without points, being 

 crowned with the perfinent petal. 



Receptacle chaffy; chaff tongue-fhaped, chan- 

 nelled, the length of the cup, and falling 

 off. 



CHARACTER. 



Zinnia with oppofite leaves, embracing the ftem, 

 broadly lance-fhaped, and rough; flowers have 

 foot-ftalks, are purple, and grow folitary. 



REFERENCE TO THE PLATE. 



1. The Empalement. 



2. A Floret of the ray with the feed attached, (natural fize). 



3. A Floret of the difk with the feed attached, (magnified). 



4. The Chives and Pointal of an hermaphrodite floret 



5. The chaffy fubltance dividing the florets. 



This elegant new fpecies of Zinnia, is defcribed and figured by J. A. Cavanilles, in his firft volume 

 of Spanilh plants; where he fays, it is a native of Mexico, South America, and was tranfmittcd from 

 thence to the royal gardens, where it perfe&ed its feeds. In the year 1 7g6, the Marchionefs of Bute 

 received it amongft many other curious feeds, from Madrid, through the medium of Profeflbr Ortega. 

 Being rather a tender annual, it fhould be fown in March, on a gentle hotbed; and tranfplanted into 

 tiie open borders the beginning of May. The plant grows to the height of three feet or more, and 

 makes in the months of Auguft and September, a very confiderable addition to the fplendor of the 

 flower garden. The feeds ripen freely, though the flower fhould be plucked before it appears 

 decayed. 



